Saturday, July 28, 2012

Pgh Taco Truck at Coffee Buddha's 1st Anniversary Party

Update (2/9/2013): Pgh Taco Truck is open as of January 18! Track its whereabouts via Twitter or Facebook.

Update (8/22/2012): Due to unforeseen issues, the opening of the Pgh Taco Truck has been delayed. Connect with the truck on Twitter and Facebook to find out when it officially opens.

I have mentioned in the past that I didn't used to get very excited about tacos. I guess if the "best" tacos you've ever had came from Chipotle, there really isn't much to get excited over. But thanks to friends Señorita Cibulka and Burgh Gourmand's influence, I have gained a whole new appreciation for tacos. In particular, the recent openings of great taco joints like Smoke and Casa Rasta had me fully converted to taco fandom.

The latest, newest taco venture is the Pgh Taco Truck, due to roll into town on August 15. It is owned and operated by none other than my taco-loving friend, Burgh Gourmand, or James as he is known in real life. Although the actual truck is still in the process of having its kitchen installed, James has been seen slinging tacos at various events around town. The first of such events I attended was at Coffee Buddha's first anniversary party earlier this month. There are plans for Pgh Taco Truck to vend tacos at Coffee Buddha on a regular basis once the truck officially opens, and there are few things in this world that excite me more than seeing two of my favorite Pittsburgh things partner up this way!

R. and I attended Coffee Buddha's birthday festivities and tried four different taco varieties from James. Each had a meat or veggie filling and a choice of salsa (mango and pineapple with pickled red onions and dehydrated jalapeno; tomato, corn, black bean, lime juice, and green onion) atop a double serving of soft corn tortillas. And I gotta say, these truly are some of the best tacos you'll find in Pittsburgh! Without further adieu, here are some photos:

Making of the Portobello & Zucchini Taco

Curried Eggplant

Portobello & Zucchini Taco

Curried Eggplant Taco

Pork Taco

Ground Beef Taco

Because James is my friend, I realize that my opinion may be biased. However, I have personally experienced James' exemplar cooking well before the idea of Pgh Taco Truck even entered his consciousness, at a time when my raving about his food in a public forum served no commercial purpose. On the other hand, being James' friend gives me an insider's knowledge about his approach and enthusiasm for his new venture. He talks of his college gig selling burritos on the streets, and having taken on various jobs in the years since, some food-related and some not, but his heart was always in street food vending. Since the day he decided to embark on this new adventure, he has spent countless hours and energy sourcing ingredients, testing taco flavors, designing the kitchen, researching ways to make his operation more "green," and lobbying to improve laws governing food trucking. I have personally witnessed how much James has poured his heart and soul into making the best-tasting tacos you can find, and I am really looking forward to the official opening!

Follow Pgh Taco Truck on Twitter or Facebook to see where you can find the truck on any given day. The Pgh Taco Truck is also available for private catering.

Pgh Taco Truck

And last but certainly not least, Happy 1st Anniversary to my favorite coffee shop in town! Have you tried their new Zendo Blendo yet? (You totally should!)